Disclaimer: Twin Peeks is a recap/review series about the new season of Twin Peaks — which means there are gonna be spoilers here for everything old and new. If you’re not caught up yet, please do yourself a favor and at least consider it before reading this. If not, you’ll be pretty lost, and you need to get your bearings before diving in. Trust me on this one.
After watching Part 14 of The Return, I couldn’t help but wonder: were David Lynch and Mark Frost going to keep the brisk pace of that episode for the remainder of the season, or were things going to slow down again? It’s starting to look like they’ve decided to keep things moving along with last week’s jam packed, emotionally devastating episode. There was one happy ending, a trip to the convenience store, an abundance of tears, and maybe (just maybe) the moment we’ve been waiting almost thirty years for.
If there’s one thing I haven’t expected from Twin Peaks during season three, it’s fulfilling fan expectations. Since the beginning, Frost and Lynch have made it clear that they’re doing this story their way. So, it took me by surprise when last week’s episode opened with a second chance for Big Ed and Norma to be together. Nadine, now a small business owner and seemingly more well-developed character, finally lets Ed go.
As soon as she does, he races to the Double R to let Norma know they can finally be together. Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” plays as Ed bursts into the diner, and for a moment there’s the potential for pure devastation. Norma lets her sleek business partner/beau go and as Ed sits on the counter, eyes closed, her hand slips over his shoulder. Ed asks Norma to marry him, and she agrees. Finally, there’s clear joy in Twin Peaks and a happy ending for two characters we’ve been rooting for since 1990.
However, this radiant happiness is one of the many emotions evoked in this episode. Later, Hawk receives a phone call from Margaret Lanterman. Immediately, it’s clear that this call will be her last. “Hawk, I’m dying,” she says over the phone. “You know about death — that it’s just a change, not an end. Hawk, it’s time. There’s some fear — some fear in letting go. Remember what I told you. I can’t say more over the phone, but you know what I mean. From our talks, when we were able to speak face to face. Watch for that one. The one I told you about. The one under the moon on Blue Pine Mountain. Hawk, my log is turning gold. The wind is moaning. I’m dying. Goodnight, Hawk.” Hawk quietly responds, “Goodnight, Margaret.” When she hangs up, he finally says goodbye. Soon after he gathers the older crew of the Sheriff’s Department to let them know and there is a moment of stunned silence.
A moment of silence for Margaret.
I can’t put into words how profoundly this sequence moved me, but I’m going to try my best. Margaret has always been one of my favorite characters in Twin Peaks for a number of reasons. What I admire about her the most was her unapologetic and genuine nature. Even though she was often ostracized, it didn’t phase her when people wrote her off as the “Log Lady.” She embraced her title and is one of, if not the, wisest character on the show. Although Catherine Coulson died in 2015, seeing her in The Return temporarily numbed me to this. Last Sunday, however, made it all too real.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t break down while watching. As the light in Margaret’s cabin went out, I had to pause the show to collect myself and take my own time to say goodbye. It was a beautiful send off for an incomparable television icon, and it will stay with me for a long time. It’s tough to believe there could be another emotional peak (pun not intended but not unwelcome) in this episode, but we’re down to the wire so of course there was.
Our journey with Dougie Jones has been outwardly sparse but likewise full of emotion. We’ve seen him struggle and triumph through everyday tasks, and this week, we may have seen the Return of the real Cooper.
After digging into a slice of chocolate cake, Dougie manages to turn on the TV. Sunset Boulevard is on, there’s a mention of a “Gordon Cole,” and that’s when the real fun begins. Something’s clearly stirred within Dougie/Cooper, and he immediately becomes transfixed on a wall outlet. He begins to crawl towards it, eventually sticking his fork into the socket and electrocuting himself before the scene cuts to black. Could this mean our beloved Cooper might be back next week? Honestly, it seems likely — there are only three more hours left — and it would be a treat to see everyone’s favorite Special Agent back in action, but at the same time, I’m not sure where Lynch and Frost want to take the Dougie storyline. I can only hope we’ll be seeing Coop sooner, rather than later.
Seeing the old Cooper again would be a logical next step, especially since it looks like he’ll have to face Mr. C, who’s been on the road for the past few episodes. This episode, he makes a quick pit stop at the all-too familiar convenience store. There, Mr. C finally confronts Jeffries. For everyone hoping for a David Bowie cameo, it looks like Lynch and Frost won’t be fulfilling all of the fan’s expectations because what Mr. C finds is a giant, obsidian tea kettle, spewing steam. What this all means for Cooper and his doppelganger’s showdown remains to be seen, but we’re down to the wire so it’s only a matter of time before we find out.
Part 15 of The Return was packed with emotion through and through. Whether it was seeing Norma and Ed finally find each other again, saying goodbye to an integral part of Twin Peaks, or building hope for the Return we’ve all been waiting for, there was a lot to process. If the past two episodes have been any indication, it looks like the rest of the season won’t be slowing down anytime soon. It’ll be a bittersweet ride, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
